Ducks Unlimited Canada
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔+
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.
A-
RESULTS REPORTING
Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.
n/r
DEMONSTRATED IMPACT
The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.
NEED FOR FUNDING
Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.
76%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 76 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Ducks Unlimited Canada:
Ducks Unlimited Canada is a 4-star charity that is financially transparent. It has a results reporting grade of A-, which is above average. For every dollar donated to the charity, 76 cents are available to go to the cause. DUC has reserve funds to cover program costs for just under 1 year and eleven months.
Founded in 1938, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) conserves, restores, and manages wetlands to benefit North American waterfowl. The charity’s vision is clean water and healthy wetlands for all waterfowl, wildlife, and people. DUC states that over 70% of southern Canada’s wetlands have been lost. It also states that in Atlantic Canada, 65% of wetlands in coastal areas have been altered or destroyed.
In its annual report, DUC breaks down its program spending into five main areas, listed below. Charity Intelligence calculates that DUC spent $102.3m on its programs and grants in its fiscal year ending March 2024 (F2024).
Habitat Conservation (85% of program spending in F2024) and Revolving Land (5%) - Total (90%): DUC works to conserve wetlands, waterfowl, grasslands, wildlife, water, and Canada’s boreal forests. In F2024 the charity conserved 166,495 acres of land, including 46,769 acres restored. It also enhanced 405,400 acres in F2024, through work such as invasive species removal and winter wheat seeding. The charity plans to conserve 110,638 acres and enhance 385,175 acres in F2025.
Research (6% of program spending in F2024), Education (2%), and Government Relations (2%) - Total (10%): In F2024, DUC influenced 21.5 million acres of land through partnerships and advocacy work. This includes sustainable land-use actions and wetland policies. In F2025, DUC aims to influence 10.3 million acres of land. 19,750 students participated in its virtual conservation education programs in F2024. The charity also reports it involved over 7,300 students in activities like tree planting, nest box building, and more. DUC reports it released its 800th scientific publication since founding in F2024.
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Results and Impact
Ducks Unlimited Canada reports that it conserved 166,495 acres of land in F2024. The three provinces it conserved the most acres in were Saskatchewan (97,866), Alberta (27,463), and Manitoba (23,872).
DUC reports that it had a significant influence on Manitoba's 2020 Boreal Wetlands Conservation Codes of Practice. It states that as of 2024, the codes are now applied to upland areas near the province's boreal wetlands. DUC states this expansion will result in the conservation of an additional 21.2 million acres of wetland. This builds on the 33 million acres already conserved by the codes.
DUC reports that for the first time since 2015, waterfowl populations are increasing in Canada.
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not completely represent Ducks Unlimited Canada’s results and impact.
Charity Intelligence has not yet rated DUC on impact (n/r). This does not affect the star rating.
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Finances
Ducks Unlimited Canada’s audited financial statements follow activity-based costing, a best practice. Its expenses are clearly defined between program, administrative, and fundraising categories.
In F2024 DUC received $22.7m in Canadian donations and $52.0m in international donations. It also received $34.0m in government funding, which is 22% of total revenue. The charity received $20.8m in fees for service, which is 14% of total revenue.
Administrative costs are 7% of revenues (excluding investment income). Fundraising costs are 17% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 24%. For every dollar donated, 76 cents are available to go to the cause. This falls within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.
In F2024 DUC spent $102.3m on its programs and grants, which is 67% of its revenue. In F2024 it had a surplus of $34.4m, which is 23% of its revenue.
DUC has $211.3m in gross reserve funds (cash and investments) and $15.4m in interest-bearing debts. This results in net reserve funds of $195.9m. The net reserves can cover 191%, or just under one year and eleven months of program costs.
This charity report is an update that has been sent for review to Ducks Unlimited Canada. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on August 1, 2025, by Grady Simpson.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending March
|
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 6.6% | 5.5% | 6.7% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 17.1% | 15.4% | 19.8% |
| Total overhead spending | 23.6% | 20.9% | 26.5% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 191.4% | 184.4% | 248.0% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 22,692 | 22,899 | 16,338 |
| International donations | 52,005 | 57,671 | 40,344 |
| Goods in kind | 923 | 15,174 | 1,337 |
| Government funding | 33,971 | 27,190 | 25,259 |
| Fees for service | 20,783 | 19,416 | 18,185 |
| Investment income | 23,646 | 1,775 | 9,759 |
| Other income | (1,418) | (8,205) | 2,682 |
| Total revenues | 152,602 | 135,920 | 113,904 |
| Program costs | 99,274 | 98,989 | 77,149 |
| Grants | 3,059 | 2,235 | 2,925 |
| Donated goods exp | 923 | 15,174 | 1,337 |
| Administrative costs | 8,478 | 7,355 | 6,986 |
| Fundraising costs | 5,567 | 5,320 | 4,535 |
| Other costs | 946 | 543 | 192 |
| Total spending | 118,247 | 129,616 | 93,124 |
| Cash flow from operations | 34,355 | 6,304 | 20,780 |
| Capital spending | 20,950 | 16,025 | 5,072 |
| Funding reserves | 195,870 | 186,606 | 198,612 |
Note: Deferred adjustment: DUC uses deferred accounting. To show donors information on a consistent basis, Ci adjusted for these deferred revenues. This affected revenue by ($2.3m) in F2024, ($3.3m) in F2023, and $4.0m in F2022. Deferred contributions from Ducks Unlimited: Ci adjusted for deferred contributions from Ducks Unlimited. This affected revenue by $989k in F2024, $2.7m in F2023, and $3.6m in F2022. Unearned revenue: Ci adjusted for unearned revenue: This affected revenue by ($3.8m) in F2024, ($4.9m) in F2023, and ($1.3m) in F2022. Donated land: Ci included donated land. This affected revenue by $816k in F2024, $286k in F2023, and $1.3m in F2022. Amortization: Ci removed amortization from program costs.
Salary Information
$350k + |
1 |
$300k - $350k |
1 |
$250k - $300k |
3 |
$200k - $250k |
4 |
$160k - $200k |
1 |
$120k - $160k |
0 |
$80k - $120k |
0 |
$40k - $80k |
0 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2024
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Comment added to the 2022 profile by Ducks Unlimited Canada.
About Ducks Unlimited Canada
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is one of the largest and longest-standing conservation organizations in North America. From coast to coast to coast, we’re creating landscape-level change by impacting millions of acres of the most important and at-risk habitats. We know the value of what we’re conserving — and our results speak for themselves. Since our inception in 1938, we’ve conserved more than 6.6 million acres of natural habitat and influenced 195.2 million acres more.
Conservation is about more than nature. It’s about people, too. DUC finds effective and creative ways for people and wild places like wetlands to thrive together. In addition to the 400+ talented, dedicated DUC employees who make conservation happen across the country, we partner with all who depend on and appreciate the landscape. We’re proud to be the place where those who believe in the power and importance of the natural world rally together — and realize meaningful results.
Our approach
DUC brings together the people, places and conservation approaches needed to build a sustainable future.
Our financial commitment
Making the most of every charitable dollar is a responsibility we take seriously. That’s why DUC is committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability, transparency and trust. By directing funds in ways that produce the greatest conservation impact, every donor can take pride in knowing that they’re making a difference in their backyard — and beyond. Our goal is to invest 80 percent of our expenditures in habitat conservation annually. In the 2021 fiscal year, DUC invested 90 percent in habitat conservation.
For more information about DUC’s conservation results and impact, visit ducks.ca/annualreport
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 1-800-655-DUCK (3825)